Attachment and Temporary Care

This short video articulates how a strong relationships between a child and an adult caregiver from outside the family often reflects an existing strong relationship between that child and his parents.

Sometimes, parents are surprised by the way their child becomes attached to a particular caregiver or teacher at childcare or school. A parent may be afraid that the caregiver might “take her place” in her child’s heart. Nothing could be further from the truth!

It is important for your child to become attached to his caregiver.

This attachment helps him to develop socially and emotionally with other people. The consistent care your child’s teacher provides helps him to feel good about school, learning and friends.

When your child becomes attached to her caregiver, pat yourself on the back!

Chances are, she is even more attached to you. She is able to form a relationship with her teacher because she first learned how with you.

Talk to your child’s caregivers about attachment.

Encourage teachers to be consistent, gentle, responsive and nearby when your child needs them. Working together, you can help your child build a good foundation for the future.

If possible, choose care settings where there are more adults and fewer children.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children recommends “that all groups have at least two teachers. Infants should be in groups of no more than 6 to 8 children; 2- to 3-year-olds should be in groups of 10 to 14 children; and 4- to 5-year-olds should be in groups of 16 to 20 children.” (2001, Washington: NAEYC)

Related Video

This video will help you learn to think about ways to help yourself and your child deal with the separation anxiety that sometimes occurs when he has to temporarily leave you to attend day care or school.

This video will help explain how social attachments develop and evolve in child care settings, and how these social attachments tend to reflect the types of social attachments that have been developed in the setting of a child’s home.